Splash guard kit and assembly

ABSTRACT

A splash guard assembly for an over the highway vehicle and a kit for making the assembly are disclosed. The assembly includes a contoured splash guard and an intermediate mounting element for positioning between the splash guard and a vehicle side panel. The guard and the element are complementally contoured to fit together. The element is also contoured to fit a specific vehicle panel adjacent a wheel well of a vehicle having such panel. When assembled the element and panel are interconnected to enable mounting of the guard. Fasteners securing the element and guard together and the element to the panel.

[0001] This invention relates to splash guards and more particularly toa splash guard assembly suitable for mounting on molded plastic sidepanels of automobile vehicles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Vehicle splash guards, sometimes referred to as mud flaps, havebeen used on automobiles for many years. Historically, splash guardswere products purchased in the after market and mounted by auto ownerson their vehicles. While splash guards are intended to reduce spray tofollowing vehicles but, at least with automobiles, they are oftenpurchased and installed to protect the finish and undercarriage of thevehicle on which they are mounted.

[0003] In recent years, manufacturers have supplied customized splashguards which are specifically contoured and designed to fit specificvehicles. After market suppliers manufacturers responded by producingsplash guards which gave the appearance of being customized as taughtand claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,709,938 issued Dec. 1, 1987 to Douglas K.Ward et al.

[0004] Vehicle manufacturers strive to reduce fuel consumption so thatvehicles can be economically operated. Reductions in the weight ofvehicles have contributed significantly to the improvement in economicaloperations. Many of the weight reductions have been achieved bysubstituting plastic materials for metal, most notably steel. At leastone model vehicle to be introduced to the market presently has sidepanels which are molded from plastic material which is superior to steelat least in stand point in resistance to corrosion and reduced weight.

[0005] A disadvantage of the plastic panels is that at least thoseportions of the side panel immediately adjacent the rear wheel well donot have sufficient rigidity and flange width for satisfactory mountingof a splash guard by conventional techniques. As a consequence there isa need for a splash guard assembly which has a structure which providesreinforcement of a side panel thereby making the mounting of a splashguard on a panel defined wheel well both possible and attractive.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The present invention is directed to a splash guard assembly andto a kit for making such an assembly. The assembly includes a contouredsplash guard which is specifically designed for mounting in a rear wheelwell on a specific vehicle panel. The specific vehicle panel is a moldedplastic component which has inturned flanges at the base of the paneland delineating a rear portion of the wheel well. The assembly includesan intermediate mounting element which is designed to fit a specificpanel and a specific splash guard such that the intermediate elementsecures the splash guard to the panel and at the same time reinforcesthe panel which otherwise would not adequately and properly support asplash guard.

[0007] The intermediate mounting element includes a portion which isdisposed transversely of the vehicle when the element is mounted on thepanel. It includes a further portion which overlies and is secured to aface of the panel. Thus, when mounted the intermediate mounting elementserves both to provide appropriate surfaces for the mounting engagementof the splash guard and other surfaces for mounting engagement of theelement on the panel while stiffening the panel to provide anappropriate support for the splash guard.

[0008] The portion of the mounting element which overlies the panel hasa smooth external surface which preferably is finished in a color eithermatching, or compatibly contrasting with, the color of the vehicle panelon which it is mounted.

[0009] Accordingly, the objects of the invention are to provide a noveland improved splash guard assembly, a kit for producing such an assemblyand a method of mounting a splash guard on a plastic panel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] In the drawings:

[0011]FIG. 1 is a perspective view taken from below and to the rear andone side of a wheel well equipped with a novel splash guard assembly;

[0012]FIG. 2 is rear elevational view of the splash guard and asectional view of the splash guard mounting element with a vehicle sidepanel shown in phantom;

[0013]FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the vehicle panel and thesplash guard assembly as seen from the plane indicated by the line 3-3of FIG. 2; and,

[0014]FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the mounting element with aportion of the panel and the splash guard being shown in phantom all asseen from the plane indicated by the line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] Referring to the drawings and FIG. 1 in particular, a vehiclewheel is shown generally at 10. A portion of a rear side panel 12includes an inturned flange 14 delineating the perimeter of an entranceto a wheel well in which the wheel is mounted. A splash guard 16 ispositioned behind the wheel 10 to function to protect the panel 12 andthe underside of the vehicle from splash and debris thrown up by thewheel.

[0016] A reinforcing and mounting element 18 is provided. The element 18includes a splash guard mounting portion 20 shown in elevation in FIG.2. The mounting portion 20 optionally may extend inwardly as shown indotted lines in FIG. 2 to provide an inner fender for spray blockage.The mounting element 20 also includes a panel reinforcement portion 22which overlies and is secured to a mounting section of the face of thepanel 12.

[0017] The mounting element 18 further includes a base portion 24 whichextends inwardly at about 90 degrees from the mounting portion 20. Thebase portion 24 is in underlying abutment with and secured to a panellower flange 26 as by a threaded fastener 28. As indicated in phantom inFIG. 4, the base portion 24 may extend further rearwardly to add to thestability of the assembly and further reinforce and stiffen the lowerflange 26.

[0018] The mounting element also engages and is secured to the wheelflange 14 by another threaded fastener in the form of a nut and bolt 30.The fastener 30 also functions to secure the splash guard 16 to themounting portion 20 of the element 18. A further fastener in the form ofa nut and bolt 32 also functions to secure the splash guard 16 to themounting portion 20 of the element.

[0019] In the disclosed arrangement, the panel reinforcement portion 22of the mounting element 18 is secured to the face of the panel 12 bydouble sided tape 34. The tape is similar if not identical to tapes soldcommercially as carpet tape which have adhesive on opposed facesurfaces. Thus the opposed adhesive layers respectfully bond to aninnersurface of the panel reinforcement 22 and an outer surface of thepanel 12 to secure the two together.

[0020] The assembly of the present invention enhances the appearance ofthe vehicle. While typical splash guards are black this splash guard canbe of other and contrasting or matching colors. Similarly thereinforcement portion 22 of the element 18 will be finished in a colorthat either matches or is pleasingly contrasting with the finish appliedto the vehicle panel 12. Further, a rear face of a depending portion 36of the splash guard may carry a printed message such as the name of thevehicle manufacturer or model or a decorative configuration, all as isconventional in splash guards.

[0021] Although the invention has been described in its preferred formwith a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that thepresent disclosure of the preferred form has been made only by way ofexample and that numerous changes in the details of construction,operation and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resortedto without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention ashereinafter claimed.

I claim:
 1. A kit for a splash guard assembly for an over the highwayvehicle comprising: a) a contoured splash guard; b) an intermediatemounting element for positioning between the splash guard and a vehicleside panel; c) the guard and the element being complementally contouredto fit together; d) the element also being contoured to fit a specificvehicle panel adjacent a wheel well of a vehicle having such panel; e)the element and panel being interconnectable whereby to enable mountingof the guard; and, f) the element and guard including means to connectthem together when the element is mounted on a panel.
 2. The kit ofclaim 1 wherein the panel has an in turn flange delineating the wheelwell and a portion of the base of the panel and wherein the element fitsthe flange, the element further including a panel portion for overlyingand being secured to a face of the panel.
 3. The kit of claim 2 whereinthe panel portion when in use is bounded to the panel face.
 4. The kitof claim 3 further including double sided tape for bonding the elementpanel portion and the face of the panel together.
 5. The kit of claim 2wherein the element panel portion is finished in a selected one of thesame color as the panel face and a color compatible with the face. 6.The kit of claim 1 wherein the element includes a panel portion foroverlying and being secured to a face of the panel.
 7. The kit of claim1 wherein the element includes a panel portion finished in a selectedone of the same color as the panel face and a color compatible with theface.
 8. A splash guard assembly for an over the highway vehiclecomprising: a) a contoured splash guard; b) an intermediate mountingelement for positioning between the splash guard and a vehicle sidepanel; c) the guard and the element being complementally contoured tofit together; d) the element also being contoured to fit a specificvehicle panel adjacent a wheel well of a vehicle having such panel; e)the element and panel being interconnectable whereby to enable mountingof the guard; and, f) including fastener means securing the element andguard together.
 9. The assembly of claim 8 wherein the panel has an inturned flange delineating the wheel well and a portion of the base ofthe panel and wherein the element fits and is connectable to the flange,the element further including a panel portion for overlying and forbeing secured to a face of the panel.
 10. The assembly of claim 9wherein the panel portion when in use is bonded to the panel face. 11.The assembly of claim 10 further including double sided tape for bondingthe element panel portion the panel.
 12. The assembly of claim 9 whereinthe element includes a portion for overlying and for being secured to aface of the panel.
 13. In combination: a) an over the highway vehiclehaving a side panel including a side portion defining a section of avehicle side surface extending longitudinally of the vehicle and atransversely extending wheel well flange portion defining at least arear portion of a wheel well; b) the panel being formed of a plasticmaterial; c) a mounting element having contoured surfaces complementallyengaging both said side portion and said flange portion; d) the elementbeing secured to the panel; and, e) a splash guard secured to theelement and disposed at least in part within the wheel well.
 14. Thecombination of claim 13 wherein one said element surface is bonded tothe side portion.
 15. The combination of claim 14 wherein the bonding iseffected by double sided tape.
 16. The combination of claim 13 whereinthe mounting element has an external surface finished in a selected oneof the same color as the side portion and a color compatible with theside portion.